


weary to the bone

by wilsonsnest



Series: i've been [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: (sort of), Alpha Bucky Barnes, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Anxiety, M/M, Mild Angst, Omega Sam Wilson, Stress Relief, Touch-Starved, massage therapy, sex therapy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 16:07:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21200384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wilsonsnest/pseuds/wilsonsnest
Summary: Sam went an hour out of his way to get a refund for a joke gift.He regretted the day he ever became friends with Riley.or; a soft a/b/o tantric sex therapy au





	weary to the bone

**Author's Note:**

> I came up with this idea late last night and spent all morning writing it. Now I'm exhausted, but its been a long time since a fic idea got stuck in my brain and refused to let go until I wrote it.
> 
> This is probably the most indulgent thing I've ever written, tbh. Like this is it for me, its all out there on the page. But hopefully you'll find it interesting a the very least.

“Can I help you?”

Sam startled a little bit as the dark-haired Alpha sitting behind the counter looked up at him. His slightly snappish tone made Sam’s shoulders hunch uncomfortably, his tension at contrast with the warmth of the waiting room he was standing inside.

“Do you have an appointment?”

The Alpha asked, narrowing his sharp blue eyes slightly. If Sam wasn’t feeling completely out of his element he would have questioned his customer service abilities, but as it were, he wasn’t exactly feeling confident at the moment.

He _did _want to get this over with though.

Clearing his throat, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out an envelope.

“I have this gift waiver, for —“

Sam stopped abruptly when he saw the Alpha’s sharp eyes cut away from him. He followed his gaze to see the door leading farther into the parlor had opened. A short, haggard looking blonde Omega stumbled out. His eyes were glazed and he looked tired, but surprisingly relaxed.

“Take a seat, I’ll be with you in a moment.”

Sam blinked rapidly at how easily he was dismissed as he watched the Alpha get up and quickly go to the man’s side. As Sam shuffled over to one of the plush chairs lined up against the wall, he noticed a smaller red-head woman get up. He’d been so wrapped up in his own head, he didn’t even notice she’d been sitting there since he’d come in. 

Sam watched as she went over to the dazed looking blonde. He offered her a sweet smile before tucking his head into her shoulder, clinging to her like she was a lifeline. Sam swallowed thickly, his eyes glancing around the foyer. Its calming, soft reds and oranges hid its true nature if people came out from a massage looking like _that._

Sam tried to tuck himself in tighter, cursing the day he ever became friends Riley Thompson.

He tried to keep his eyes off the couple even as the dark-haired Alpha went behind his desk again and got them checked out. It was hard not to ease drop on their conversation though, the two Alphas talking casually as if the Omega didn’t even exist.

“Same time next week?” 

When he wasn’t being rude, the Alpha had a surprisingly nice voice.

“Mmhmm, we’ll be out of town the week after though. Ask Steve to give him a little extra for the road? He’ll be wound pretty tight by time we come back.”

“Vacation? I’m _almost_ jealous.”

“You should be, he’s convinced me on the skydiving.”

“Oh God, _never mind._”

Sam barely kept the scoff to himself. The Omega barely looked like he could keep himself upright, much less have the nerve to jump out of a plane. This place was weird. He hated the soft colors, the comfortable furniture, the free lemon water by the door.

The pretentious abstract blue and gray painting hanging on the wall.

“Throw an extra $50 on Steve’s tip tonight, James, I can already tell hes going to sleep well.”

Fuck. What was Riley _thinking._ Even if Sam wanted to be here, there was no way he could afford a tip where $50 was a little ‘extra’. Panic was setting in, and Sam was so wrapped up in it that he didn’t even register the the red-headed Alpha lead her Omega out.

“Sorry about that…” The dark-haired alpha. James, apparently, said. “Now, how can I help you?”

Sam looked up suddenly, realizing he was alone in the tiny waiting room. He swallowed thickly and got up, suddenly feeling skittish with just the two of them in a room. He slid the envelope onto the counter with a sigh.

“Look, I got this as a gift and I—“

“Oh, so you need to _schedule_ an appointment.” James picked up the envelope and pulled out the paper inside, reading the voucher. “Our schedule is pretty full, but we’ll fit you in somewhere.”

“Okay, that’s just the thing.” Sam said, putting both hands on the counter. “I don’t _want_ the massage. I’m sure it was just a joke anyway, I just want to know if I can get a refund.”

James’ eyes snapped up to him suddenly and he stared at Sam. It was like he was suddenly seeing the Omega standing in front of him for the first time and his brow knitted together in consideration.

“Have you ever had a tan-therapeutic massage before?”

“_No._” Sam tried not to sound as scandalized as he felt. “Never._ No.”_

“Have you ever had a massage before?” James asked, patiently, his gaze unflinching.

“No, I’ve never - I’m very busy, and it not really something I need right now.” Sam said letting out a long breath. “Riley likes to joke that I work too hard is all.”

James just kept staring at him, making Sam’s skin prickle uncomfortable. He was a fairly composed man, but damn if this Alpha didn’t make him feel exposed, like he was reading every uncomfortable insecurity Sam was trying to hide. The alpha set the envelope down and the gestured with two fingers.

“Come here.” 

The quiet command pulled at Sam’s Omega senses, and he hesitated. But the Alpha just gestured again, and Sam leaned forward cautiously over the desk, alarm bells going off in his head.

The Alpha reached up and and pressed two fingers of his right hand to the scent gland right behind Sam’s neck. He felt the point pulse and he could practically feel his knees shaking. How long had it been since anyone had touched him there? It was like his body was yearning for touch, and no matter what his better judgement said he couldn’t bring himself to move away. He had to bite his lip to keep form whimpering when James pulled his hand away.

“What the hell was _that.”_ Sam gasped, his skin practically humming from the brief contact.

If James cared that he had committed some social taboo, he certainly didn’t react like it. He folded his arms over his chest and Sam only then noticed the Alpha’s prosthetic left hand. 

“We’ve had plenty of severe cases before, but yours is probably the worst I’ve seen.” James sounded genuinely perturbed. “Look, why don’t we put you down and Steve will get you—“

“No!” Sam rarely raised his voice like this to a stranger, but this was getting to be too much. “Look, I don’t want a massage, I certainly don’t need therapy, I just want—“

“Mr. Wilson.” James said suddenly. “Sam, you’re shaking.”

The Omega looked down at his hands and noticed that he was indeed trembling slightly. He took in a deep breath, trying to center himself. It was the end of a long work day, he still had to drive home after going out of his way to find this place. He should have just called to see if they could do the refund over the phone.

“We don’t take refunds on these vouchers, Sam.” James continued. “I know this can be uncomfortable at first. But why don’t I have Steve show you around and explain to you what we do here before you make a decision.”

Sam looked up confused. “Steve?”

A tiny smirk appeared on James’ lips and Sam felt his face heat up. He supposed if this was any other situation he might find the Alpha incredibly handsome.

“Our masseuse, though he prefers to be called just therapist.” James said, his voice fond. “That’s our main goal here anyway. Its not just for your body, but your mind as well. We want to focus on your entire well-being.”

Sam bit his lip, trying to think of what other way he could spell it out that he wasn’t interested. But just looking at the Alpha, he could tell no matter what he said it wasn’t going to work. Contrary to what Sam had thought earlier, he could see why James was at the front desk. He had a strong Alpha presence, and a steady hold on being direct without seeming harsh. Sam found himself wanting to give him a chance at the very least.

“Okay, okay.” Sam said finally, his shoulders sinking in defeat. “Just.. a tour. No promises.”

“Of course not.” James said, an infuriatingly knowing look in his eye. He pressed a button on the wall, a soft chime echoed through the room before he spoke. “Steve, we have a _new_ client up front.”

Sam scowled at the surety in James’ voice. Now Sam just wanted to be petty, rather than his previous legitimate dislike of the place. Before he could say anything though, the door opened and Sam’s jaw nearly dropped. The tall, blonde Alpha that stood in the frame was beautiful. Just as handsome at James, but with the softest blue eyes Sam had ever seen. _Of course_ a place like this was be staffed with nothing but attractive Alphas. That didn’t make Sam feel any less like this was some sort of kinky sex thing rather than whatever ‘therapy’ they were claiming to provide.

Blonde hunk’s blue eyes landed on Sam and he smiled wide and open. He was wearing a gray t-shirt that looked a size too small, and loose black sweatpants. Sam would call it unprofessional, but really the man just looked at ease in his skin.

“Steve, this is Sam Wilson.” James said, gesturing toward Sam. His eyes were practically dancing with mirth. “Sam, Steve will take care of you from here.”

“Uuhhh..” Sam said eloquently.

“Thanks, Buck.” Steve laughed, but it was good-natured and gentle. He moved out of the doorframe, holding out a hand for Sam to pass. “You ready, Sam?”

_No. Not in a million years will I ever be ready._ Sam’s voice was faint in his head, but his body moved forward regardless. The scent of the Alpha was almost too much as he passed him, just barely brushing him with his coat.

Steve let the door close behind them, and then put a leading hand on Sam’s arm. The hallway was dark, dimmed orange lights lined the walls giving a soft glow to ever surface. It smelled faintly of cinnamon, but it wasn’t overpowering and Sam might even admit it was a little calming.

“A little nervous, Sam?” Steve asked, glancing down at him. His smile this time was small, and understanding. “That’s not unusual. Even for just a regular massage.”

“Sure.” Sam said faintly. “I’m not usually like this.”

Steve nodded as he stopped in front of door all the way at the end of the hall. He opened it, holding the door open for Sam to step through. This room was lighter, painted calming blues and tiled. In the center was a small, round pool, steam rising from its surface. It didn’t look like it could fit more than two or three people at a time. There were hooks and cubbies nearby as well as a rudimentary shower to rinse off.

“A lot of our clients have stressful day jobs.” Steve explained. “This is just something extra to help loosen them up before our session. If you come early you can come back here and relax for a while beforehand.”

Sam nodded. “That’s nice.”

“It’s a less intense way to warm up the muscles.” Steve sounded pleased that Sam approved. “Depending on what the client needs, it might be better for than to warm up here than during our session.”

“Right.” 

Steve ushered them out of the room and down the hall again. This time he gestured at the four doors on either side of the hall. 

“We have four rooms, each one has a different atmosphere, depending on what you need.” Steve explained. “Tan-therapy is personalized to every person. Your needs might be different from the person I see before you. So once you're evaluated, we can put together a plan for you that will help you get the most out of your sessions.”

“That sounds really nice.” Sam said as genuinely as he could. Because he was sure the Omegas that enjoyed this sort of thing appreciated the thoughtfulness and attention to detail. “But I don’t think I’m ready— okay, well…”

Steve opened one of the doors on the right and beckoned Sam inside. It looked very much like a normal massage room that one might see on tv. The room had a cream colored walls, dimly lit just like the hallway. On the far wall was a counter space with some cabinets and a small sink, almost clinical if Sam was being honest. But the table was a familiar look massage table, complete with face rest and everything.

“I can take your coat.” Steve said, offering a hand. His Alpha command was softer than James’, but it was no less of a command. Sam found himself shrugging out of his coat and handing it over before he even got a chance to consider why it was a bad idea. “Hop up, just sit for now.”

“Is this part of the tour?” Sam tried for levity as he sat on the massage table, hands firmly planted at his sides. 

“Yes.” Steve replied easily enough that Sam almost believed him. He watched as the Alpha opened one the cabinets and began pulling out different containers and other plastic tabs. Sam swallowed thickly as Steve washed his hands in the sink before drying them on a towel nearby.

“Relax, Sam.” Steve said as he looked over. “I promise I don’t bite.”

Sam laughed nervously, but wasn’t really able to do much in the way of releasing the tension. Even if it wasn’t this place putting him on edge, he pretty much lived with a constant sate of uncomfortable stiffness. Being a literary agent, especially for a big name meant Sam was constantly on the phone, on the computer, making deals and hoping things didn’t fall through. He was pretty sure his primary physician was prescribing him sleeping pills out of pity at this point.

“So,” Steve moved closer, standing right in front of Sam, the Omega’s knees nearly touching him. The Alpha reached out slowly, almost like he was testing him. Sam flinched before Steve even reached his face and Steve nodded. “I can see your eyes straining, theres tension there. But you have a hard time not being vigilant. That’s normal.” He smiled reassuringly. “I think it will help if you close your eyes.”

Sam stared into Steve’s blue eyes, looking for something there, a warning or other distrustful intention. But truly, there was nothing but warm sincerity. Taking a deep breath, Sam closed his eyes, a little too tightly as he felt his body tense again. He couldn’t remember the last time he was so vulnerable, especially in front of an Alpha.

“Good.” Steve’s voice was so soft, it made Sam shiver. “I’m going to touch you Sam. But only on your neck and shoulders, okay? I’ll tell you everything I’m going to do.”

Sam nodded slowly, a shiver going down his spine at the light praise. It was one thing he had trained himself out of. He was in a cut-throat and shrewd business, he couldn’t afford to fall all over himself every time he was congratulated. There were other people in his field who would kill for Sam’s clientele and connections and were looking for any weakness they could exploit. 

But this wasn’t work, this wasn’t even really the outside world. Anything he did here wouldn’t matter.

“I’m going to touch your scent gland now.” Steve said quietly. 

Soon enough, Sam felt the Alpha’s fingers on that pressure point behind his neck. It felt oddly tender, probably because it had been touched in an hour more than it had in years. He couldn’t stop the shiver that ran through his body and the slight moan that slipped through his lips.

“You’re very tense, Sam.” Steve sounded almost disappointed. “You shouldn’t be this sensitive from just a touch. Do you touch yourself during your heats?”

“W-what?” Sam’s eyes opened suddenly. He took in a sharp breath as he realized how close Steve had gotten and closed his eyes again. “I mean, _obviously._”

“I don’t just meant your genitals, Sam.” Steve clarified as he moved now to press behind Sam’s ear. “Even if you aren’t with an Alpha, you should be touching your own scent gland.”

Steve’s hand’s left his body, and Sam found himself leaning after to chase the touch. “You’re okay, Sam.” Steve squeezed his thigh. “I’m going to go behind your now and feel your neck and shoulders.”

Sam swallowed, ashamed to say that he desperately wanted the Alpha’s hands back on him. The first touch of Steve’s deft fingers on the muscles of his neck were like heaven. He didn’t bother to stop the sound of relief that escaped him. Steve’s scent was stronger, and he wondered if it was intentional to try and get him to relax. Whatever it was, it was working because Sam was feeling much less reluctant than before. Even through his shirt, Steve’s strong hands on his tight shoulders were a blessing.

“How many times do you orgasm during your heat days?”

Sam could feel Steve’s breath on the shell of his ear and he practically split his lip biting back a moan. “That’s sort of personal, isn’t it?”

“This is a personal therapy.” Steve replied easily, digging his thumb into a particularly tight knot. “You can satisfy your heat and not orgasm once, Sam. It’s not healthy, but it can be done. You have the body of an Omega who hasn’t known relaxation in _years._”

Sam could feel his face burning, though whether it was embarrassment about the subject matter or the shame of being read so clearly he wasn’t sure. Suddenly, he was no longer as keen on the whole thing as he was starting to become. Ever since his career took off, Sam had struggled maintaining relationships, but being busy didn’t stop his heats from arriving each month on schedule. He did what he could, but it was never more than perfunctory action at this point.

“Hey, hey…” Suddenly, Steve’s arms wrapped around his body, warm and strong. Just this side of tight so that Sam felt secure. “I’m not blaming you, doll.” Sam gasped a little, and Steve squeezed him in encouragement. “You’re here now, I’ve got you. You're going to be okay.”

Steve held him for a few minutes, just keeping him close, letting his pheromones calm Sam down until he was letting off less anxiety. 

“Just one more thing, doll.” Steve chuckleda little as he moved away. Sam could hear him moving things around on the counter. “You like that, huh?”

Before Sam could even think of a way to reply, he felt the heat of Steve’s body near him again. This time, he felt Steve’s hand cup his cheek and then felt something light being pressed against his scent gland, recognizing the strong scent of lavender.

“No? That’s usually a winner.” Steve hummed, and the lavender scent was gone. He felt another light touch to his scent gland. This time it was vanilla and Sam could have melted into Steve’s arms. “_There_ it is. A sweet scent for a sweet Omega.”

There was that praise, and Sam couldn’t do much but let himself practically wallow in it. Any other time, it was a tight-lipped smile and a handshake, a quiet “_thank you”. _But he could let his Omega preen and luxuriate in the praise here.

“You did so good for me, Sam.” Steve murmured again, swiping his thumb over Sam’s cheek before moving away. 

Sam could hear pencil scratching against paper and he turned his head toward the noise, but kept his eyes shut.

“What are your writing?” Sam said, suddenly paranoid that proof of his reactions would be out for others to see.

“Just some notes, doll.” Steve said easily, now knowing the affect it had on Sam in calming him. “I’ll use all this information to create your therapy plan. Each week, we’ll probably learn something new and I’ll be able to refine it even more.”

“Each week?” Sam asked, his voice a little strained. “Steve, I don’t think I can afford t—“

“And in the meantime, you’ve got some homework to do until our next appointment.” 

Sam huffed, but found that he wasn’t truly angry. There was no reason to ruin the atmosphere just yet. Eventually, he felt Steve in front of him again and tilted his head expectantly.

“You can open your eyes now, Sam.” Steve allowed. “How do you feel?”

Sam blinked a few times into the gentle light of the room. He wouldn’t say that he was relaxed, but he couldn’t deny that he felt better than he had when he first walked in. His mind was still worried, but he felt less like he was going to panic. The Alpha knew how to take command without making him feel stupid, or weak. He just made Sam feel _good._ And he’d even had his clothes on the whole time.

“I… can admit this wasn’t what I expected.” 

“Understandable.” Steve said. He held up a small unmarked white bottle and shook it for emphasis. “It’s just vanilla soothing lotion. I want you to rub a little bit on your scent gland each night. It doesn’t have to be a lot, just a drop.”

Sam reached out hesitantly and took the bottle in hand. The thought of touching himself there felt alien, but he supposed Steve was the expert. Even if he never came back, this might still be good information to use in the future.

“As long as you do this every night, we should see some improvement next week.” Steve explained as he helped Sam off the table. He went to get Sam's coat, helping the Omega into it. “You did very well today, Thank you for trusting me.”

Sam could barely look at the Alpha, he was so damn earnest. Like this wasn’t just a job, like he actually wanted to help. Sam had not come prepared for this experience at all.

He let Steve lead him back out into the hall and down to the waiting room. James was still at his desk, typing information into a laptop when they came in. He looked up, his eyes flickering from Steve to Sam before a smile graced his lips, obviously pleased at whatever he saw.

“How’d it go?” The question was clearly for Steve though he was still focused on Sam.

“Extremely well. Sam was wonderful.” Steve said, placing a hand on the Omega’s shoulder. “But weekly appointments are definitely going to be necessary.”

“I thought so.” James replied with a snort. “Alright, go clean up, punk. I’ll take care of Sam from here.”

“I’ll see you soon, Sam.” Steve said with a final reassuring squeeze before heading back through the door.

Sam stood there, feeling off-kilter as he blinked into the distance. The loss of Steve’s warmth at his side made him feel unbalanced and he reached out to touch the counter to steady himself. _What is happening to me._ Was he that desperate for touch that this brief interaction has effected him so intensely?

“Do you need to sit down, Sam?” James was suddenly standing, and he looked genuinely concerned. “I know it can be overwhelming the first time.”

Sam shook his head, trying to clear it and bring himself back to some sort of normalcy. Finally he was able to look at James squarely. “N-no, I’m fine.” He stuffed the bottle of lotion Steve had given him into his pocket. “About that refund…”

James raised an eyebrow questioningly. “I told you, no refunds.”

“Look, James. Is that your name?” At James’ slow nod he continued. “I cannot afford to come here every week for however long you think its going to take to ‘fix’ me. I appreciate the pitch, but I just can’t buy today.”

And honestly, he was tempted. It wasn’t that he was hurting for money, Riley’s books were bestsellers for crying out-loud. But Sam knew his fortune could change at any minute. His job wasn’t guaranteed and with no mate to provide a second income, anything that happened fell on his head. He was a lone Omega in a traditionally Alpha job, he couldn’t afford extravagant purchases when the future held uncertainty.

James just stared at him, his face unreadable. “You’re voucher is good for four sessions.” He explained. “Why don’t we start with that and then we’ll talk about pricing.”

Sam groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. But he couldn’t help the spark of hope that lighted in his chest. “So I have three more?”

“Four. Today was just a consultation.” 

Somehow, Sam thought that wasn’t exactly right, but he knew better than to try and argue with James at this point. Instead, he just let the Alpha walk him through the registering process, including giving an emergency contact. He put Riley, but there was no way in _hell_ that he was risking his sister or mother knowing he was coming to this place. Once they set up the appointment time, James gave him a card and a promise that there would be text and voicemail reminders.

It didn’t hit Sam what he had agreed to until he stepped out of the massage parlor and into the cool night air. Somehow he had gone in with every intention of getting Riley’s money back, and had walked out counting down the days until he got to go back.

x x x x 

Bucky hummed as he walked into the room Steve was tidying. Sam’s sweet scent lingered around the edges, though the Omega was so suppressed it was barely a faint trace. He was sure he hid it well, but it _was_ concerning to see an Omega of Sam’s age so wound up. It was impressive that he was evening holding himself together that well.

He placed a hand on Steve’s arm in greeting before picking up the clipboard with Sam’s information on it. He smiled a little as he read the name line. “Doll, huh?”

Steve looked over at him as he closed a cabinet door, his eyes shined with warmth as he answered. “He’s surprisingly sweet.” Steve leaned his hip against the counter. “I was a little worried, but I think he knows he needs help.”

“Well.” Bucky’s eyes scanned the rest of the chart. He wasn’t at all surprised by the early conclusions Steve had drawn. He could tell Sam was touch-starved by how he held himself. Steve had his work cut out for him with this one. “You’ve got four weeks to convince him.”

“Four whole weeks?” Steve sounded surprised. His gaze softened as the slight pink color that rose in Bucky’s cheeks. He moved closer and bumped his shoulder against his friend’s companionably. “I don’t blame you. I’m looking forward to it as well.”

Bucky shifted his eyes to glance over at his friend. But he could tell from the look on Steve’s face, that he was being truthful. Something about the Omega had tripped Bucky up, and he was fascinated by him. He was obviously in pain, but he held himself with such poise and confidence, it was hard not to want to know more. 

Bucky had secured them the time, now Steve just had to make sure he stayed.

**Author's Note:**

> Like I said, this fic prospect wouldn't leave me alone so I technically have the other parts sorted out in my head. But I was in a weird headspace last night so theres no telling when I'll get up to writing the next part.
> 
> Lemme know what you thought. Weird? Interesting? I'm fascinated to know.


End file.
